The knife-edge arête of Crib Goch is the finest mountain challenge in Wales for walkers who have not yet taken up rock climbing. A Grade 1 scramble with genuine exposure on both sides, it forms the eastern arm of the Snowdon Horseshoe and offers views of Glaslyn and the Snowdon summit that no other approach can match. This is Experience #5 of the Snowdonia 100.
What to Expect
Crib Goch is not a walk. From Pen-y-Pass the path climbs steeply to the eastern ridge, and from there the scrambling is continuous for roughly 600 metres along a ridge often no wider than a footstep, with steep drops on both sides. The rock is excellent and the holds are good, but commitment and a head for heights are essential. In mist, Crib Goch is genuinely serious terrain — the ridge is difficult to navigate without being able to see the ground below.
Practical Notes
| Start | Pen-y-Pass car park (book in advance) |
| Grade | Scramble — Grade 1, serious in poor conditions |
| Time to ridge | 1 hour from Pen-y-Pass |
| Continuation | Usually continued to Yr Wyddfa as part of the Horseshoe |
| Descent | Do not attempt to descend Crib Goch directly — continue to summit |
Conditions
In winter, Crib Goch requires crampons, ice axe, and the competence to use them. The consequences of a slip in icy conditions are severe. Several fatalities occur on this ridge each decade, nearly all in winter or in wet conditions when the rock is greasy. In good summer conditions with an experienced party it is an outstanding mountain experience. Check forecasts, start early, and turn back without shame if conditions deteriorate.
Experience #5 of 100 — Summits category. See the full Crib Goch route guide.
Independently written — Snowdon.com